Nursing, R.N. to B.S. in Nursing

Nursing, RN to B.S. in Nursing

(The following revisions are for students beginning nursing courses in 2015. Students entering nursing before 2015 should refer to the Catalog at the time of entry.)

Mission

In accordance with Neumann University’s Mission and Vision Statements, the purpose of the Nursing Programs is to enhance professional nursing practice and foster the provision of quality nursing education and care in the Franciscan tradition to persons of diverse populations, in varying circumstances and environments. Franciscan values and tradition are linked to a strong liberal arts and professional education. Graduates of the Baccalaureate and Master’s Nursing Programs will have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for competent, ethical, professional practice; for lifelong development of that practice; for advanced study in nursing; and for fulfillment of professional and societal responsibilities.

Philosophy

The Neumann University Core Values of reverence, integrity, service, excellence, and stewardship infuse the educational process of the professional nurse. Neumann University students learn the art and science of nursing in a caring educational community. The science of nursing is based on clinical reasoning derived from the liberal arts and sciences, and theories of nursing. The art of nursing is based on ethical behavior, caring, and respect for human dignity.

Franciscan values provide a central focus for care of persons within the multicultural local, regional, national, and global communities.

Persons are holistic beings with interdependent physical, psychological, sociocultural, political, interpersonal, and spiritual dimensions. The discipline of nursing promotes evidence-based, patient-centered healthcare, and reflects advances in nursing, inter-professional practice, and technological knowledge. The overall goal of nursing is to maintain the highest level of health for persons along a continuum of wellness to illness.

Through the educational process, students develop the foundation for clinical reasoning, effective communication, competent delivery of quality care, research, professional accountability, advocacy, and leadership. Baccalaureate education provides the foundation for the development of professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Master’s specialty education prepares the nurse with advanced knowledge, skills, and attitudes to practice as primary care providers, or as nurse educators.

Graduates of Neumann University Nursing Programs are prepared to practice to the full extent of their educational preparation. Graduates will provide leadership to influence the profession of nursing and effect health care practice within increasingly complex systems of care.

Nursing Policies

Students are responsible for policies and requirements related to the Nursing major that appear in this Catalog and the Undergraduate Nursing Student Bulletin.

Bachelor of Science Options

Qualified students of all ages with professional nursing licensure (RN), and pre-licensure non-nursing or practical nursing (LPN) backgrounds are encouraged to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Nursing. Students follow a sequential progression of study. The degree may be pursued on either a full-time or part-time basis, taking day or evening classes.

The Pre-licensure, Full-Time Option (12 credits or more per semester fall and spring):

By successfully completing all required courses in a prescribed sequence of study, students who are enrolled as full-time (i.e., registered for 12 - 18 credits per semester), following the day nursing course sequence, may complete the Nursing Program in four years. Classes are conducted during the week and clinical and laboratory experiences may be scheduled weekdays or weekends, days or evenings, depending on site and faculty availability.

The Pre-licensure, Part-Time Option (fewer than 12 credits per semester, fall or spring):

After completing all general education (Core) and Allied requirements, prelicensure students pursuing their studies in nursing through evening course offerings, may complete their required nursing courses in seven semesters, including summers. Evening Nursing classes are conducted during the week beginning at 5:30 PM. Clinical experiences of evening nursing courses are scheduled during weekday evenings or weekend days, depending on site and faculty availability.

RN to BS in Nursing Option:

RNs may pursue the nursing degree on a full-time or part-time basis through day or evening course offerings. The University ascribes to the The Pennsylvania Articulation Model (1994), awarding 30 credits in nursing through articulation on receipt of the student’s transcript posting completion of a diploma or associate degree in nursing and verification of an unencumbered, unrestricted professional nursing license.

The time for program completion for transfer students will depend on the number of credit hours accepted in transfer from a regionally accredited college or university, CLEP Examinations, and/or Challenge Examinations which measure specific subject knowledge that has been learned through previous study and /or experience, and whether the student elects full- or part-time study.

Upon completion of this program, the graduate will earn a Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing and will be able to:

Synthesize theories and concepts from the humanities and fine arts, and the physical, behavioral, social, and nursing sciences as a foundation for practice.

Ensure provision of holistic, compassionate nursing care in all settings with individuals from diverse backgrounds across the lifespan.

Integrate evidence-based knowledge and clinical reasoning in the delivery of safe, effective, and efficient nursing care.

Integrate information systems and health technologies in the provision of nursing care.

Examine the implications of health policy on issues of access, equity, affordability, and social justice in health care delivery.

Implement leadership strategies to promote quality health care delivery through communication, collaboration, coordination, and consultation with individuals, families, communities, and members of the interdisciplinary team.

Assume personal responsibility for excellence in practice, lifelong learning, and professional growth and development.

Integrate the Nursing Code of Ethics and Franciscan values (reverence, integrity, service, excellence, and stewardship) in professional practice.

Admission Criteria

RN’s are required to have a minimum cumulative 2.5 grade point average from all colleges and universities attended to current unencumbered, unrestricted professional license.

Limitation on Transfer Credit

In addition to the University requirement of a grade of “C” or better, college courses in anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, statistics and nutrition must have been taken within five years of application to the University for those students who are not practicing professional nursing. RN’s are required to:

Achieve a grade of “C” or higher in every required allied course taken to date.

Earn an overall minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 at the time of formal application to the major.

Additional information for International Students and specific English language requirements appear in the Admission section of this catalog.

Participation in the Program

Nurses must be able to function safely and effectively in a wide variety of clinical situations. Certain types of learning, including clinical training, are required; and specific legal standards must be met as well. The threshold for participation in the Neumann University Nursing Program, then, is whether the prospective student can meet both academic and technical standards, and can qualify under licensing law and other applicable laws, rules, and standards.

The goal of Neumann University is to prepare every nursing student to think critically, and practice nursing competently with compassion in a rapidly changing practice environment. All efforts are designed to build nursing knowledge, foster professional integrity, and ultimately improve the health outcomes of patients, families, and communities across the continuum of care. Certain functional abilities are essential for the delivery of safe, effective nursing care. Qualified applicants and students are expected to meet all admission criteria, as well as technical standards with or without reasonable accommodations within the confines of safety to the patient and the student. Qualified applicants and students are expected to satisfactorily demonstrate these standards for progression through the program.

Reasonable accommodations will be considered on a case by case basis for individuals who meet eligibility under applicable statutes. Any person expecting to need accommodations should request them prior to beginning the program, as some accommodations may not be considered reasonable and may impact an applicant’s ability to complete all components of the program.

The technical standards that have been identified as necessary to participate in the nursing curriculum are the following:

General Abilities: The nursing student is expected to possess functional use of the senses of vision, touch, hearing, taste and smell so that data received by the senses is able to be integrated, analyzed and synthesized in a consistent and accurate manner. The student must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance to perceive pain, pressure, temperature, position, equilibrium and movement. A student must be able to respond promptly to urgent situations that may occur during clinical training activities and must not hinder the ability of other members of the health care team to provide prompt treatment and care to patients.

Observational Ability: The student must have sufficient capacity to make accurate visual observations and interpret them in the context of laboratory studies, medication administration, and patient care activities. The student must also be able to document the observations on either written or computer sources. The student must possess the functional use of senses and sufficient motor capacity to carry out the necessary assessment activities.

Communication Ability: The student must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and non-verbally to explain information to others. Each student must have the ability to read, write, comprehend, and speak the English language to facilitate communication to patients, families, and other members of the healthcare team. The student must be able to maintain accurate patient records, present information in a professional, logical manner and provide patient counseling and instruction to effectively care for patients and their families. The student must possess verbal and written communication skills that permit effective communication with instructors and students in both the classroom and clinical settings.

Motor Ability: The student must be able to perform gross and fine motor movements required to provide all nursing care including the ability to perform inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. Other psychomotor skills necessary for patient care include; assisting with procedures, treatments, administration of medications, and emergency interventions including CPR if necessary. The student must have sufficient levels of neuromuscular control and eye-to-hand coordination as well as possess the physical and mental stamina to meet the demands associated with extended periods of sitting, standing, moving, and physical exertion required for safe patient care. Students must be able to bend, squat, reach, kneel, and balance. The student is expected to be able to maintain consciousness and equilibrium and have the physical strength and stamina to perform satisfactorily in the clinical setting. Safety of the patient and the student is of utmost concern.

Intellectual -Conceptual Ability: The student is expected to have the ability to develop and refine problem solving skills and demonstrate the ability to establish plans of care and set priorities. The student must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize objective and subjective data in a timely manner and make decisions that reflect consistent and thoughtful deliberation of the appropriate data. The student is expected to be able to listen, speak, read, write, reason, and perform mathematical functions at a level which allows the student to possess and understand the materials presented in both a written and a verbal format throughout his or her course of study.

Behavioral and Social Attributes: The student is expected to have the emotional stability required to exercise sound judgement, and complete assessment and intervention activities. Compassion, integrity, motivation, and concern for others are personal attributes required of those in the nursing program. The student must fully utilize intellectual capacities that exercise sound judgment, complete assessment and intervention activities, and develop sensitive interpersonal relationships with patients, families, and other health team members. Students are expected to have the ability to establish rapport and maintain sensitive and confidential interpersonal relationships with individuals, families, and groups from diverse social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds. The student is expected to have the flexibility to function effectively under stress, including emergency situations; the student is expected to be able to learn to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, arrive on time and meet the demands for timely performance of duties, accept and integrate constructive criticism given in the classroom and clinical/laboratory setting; and effectively collaborate in the clinical setting with other members of the healthcare team. Reasonable accommodations will be considered on a case by case basis for individuals who meet eligibility under applicable statutes.

Progression Criteria/Degree Requirements

Progression in the Nursing major is based on academic achievement, clinical practicum performance, laboratory performance, and professional behavior.

As students of Neumann University, Nursing majors are expected to comply with the “Student Code of Conduct,” as presented in the Student Affairs Handbook. This Code includes, but is not limited to, respect for others in all interactions, whether on or off campus.

The Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statement (American Nurses Association, 2015) identifies the ethical values, duties, and commitments of professional nurses. It is expected that all Nursing majors will adhere to the provisions of this Code. Any violation of the Code constitutes grounds for course failure or dismissal from the Nursing Program.

Progression in the Nursing major leading to a Bachelor of Science degree requires students to:

Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00.

Achieve a grade of “C” or higher in every required Allied course.

Achieve a grade of “C” or higher in every Nursing theory course.

Achieve a grade of “Pass” in every Nursing Clinical Practicum/Laboratory course.

Complete a minimum of 122 credits.

Complete standardized Nursing examinations at intervals during their baccalaureate program.

The Division of Nursing and Health Sciences have determined that all students are to be assessed according to the following grading scale for all Nursing theory courses for which they have registered. Final course grades, expressed to the hundredths place, will not be rounded to the nearest whole number. As an example, a final course grade of 76.95 yields a course grade of D+. Therefore, the minimum passing grade earned in theory courses must be 77.00.

A

(Excellent)

93.00-100

B

+

(Very Good)

89.00-92.99

B

(Good)

85.00-88.99

C

+

(Above the Average)

81.00-84.99

C

(Average)

77.00-80.99

D

+

(Below the Average)

74.00-76.99

D

(Poor)

70.00-73.99

F

(Failure)

69.99 or less

Laboratory and/or clinical practicum courses provide students with the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts to clinical practice, and are graded as Pass or Fail. Students must earn a grade of “Pass” in order to successfully complete the laboratory and/or clinical practicum courses.

The application of theory in practice is integral to professional nursing practice. Therefore, students must pass theory courses with a grade of 77.00 (C) and associated laboratory and/or clinical practicum courses with a grade of “Pass” in order to progress.

When a grade less than 77.00 is earned in a theory course, the course must be repeated. When a grade of “Fail” is earned in a laboratory and/or clinical courses, the course must be repeated.

When students withdraw from a theory course, they must withdraw from the associated laboratory or clinical course if the laboratory or clinical course has not been completed. However, students who withdraw from a laboratory or clinical course may remain in the associated theory course.

Required Nursing and Allied courses may be repeated only one time, whether the repetition is a consequence of student withdrawal from a course, institutional withdrawal from a course, theory course grade of less than “C” in Nursing or Allied courses, science lab grade less than “C”, or a nursing laboratory /clinical course grade of “Fail.” The student must successfully complete the repeated course with a minimum grade of “C” or “Pass” the second time enrolled.

Failure to earn a minimum grade of “C” in a repeated Nursing course will result in the student’s dismissal from the Nursing major.

Failure to earn a minimum grade of “C” or “Pass” in more than one nursing course will result in the student’s dismissal from the Nursing major.

Students seeking to repeat a course will only be enrolled after all students registering for the first time are accommodated. Enrollment of students repeating the course is dependent upon the availability of clinical facilities and staffing, and cannot be guaranteed.

All degree requirements must be completed within five years after beginning the first Nursing major course. Exception to this time limitation must be applied for in a written request submitted to the Dean, Division of Nursing and Health Sciences before the end of the five year period. The request for extension must include the situation(s) contributing to the need to extend the program beyond five years.

Clinical Practice Requirements

Inasmuch as it is possible, clinical experiences are scheduled during the weekdays or weekend days for Nursing majors enrolled in the Day Course Sequence and during weekday evenings or on weekend days for Nursing majors enrolled in the Evening Nursing Course Sequence. However, all students are advised that agency and faculty availability may require clinical attendance during weekdays, weekends, and/or evenings to assure that all who are registered for a specific course have the opportunity to meet the course/clinical/laboratory objectives during the semester of enrollment.

During the last semester of enrollment, students enrolled in both Day and Evening Nursing Course Sequences will have clinical experiences during the day with laboratory experiences during the day, evenings, and weekends. Inability to meet practice requirements will prevent laboratory and/or clinical participation and will result in laboratory or clinical failure.

These Clinical Practice Requirements apply to all Nursing majors, both full-time and part-time.

Nursing License and Liability Insurance

LPNs who are pursuing the Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing option must provide evidence of a current and unrestricted license as a practical or vocational nurse from Pennsylvania or their state of practice.

RNs who are pursuing the Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing option must provide evidence of a current and unrestricted Pennsylvania license. In the event that student clinical placement is in Delaware and/or New Jersey, the student must submit licensure from the state of clinical placement. Students who are licensed are expected to obtain and provide documentation of current professional liability insurance.

Basic Life Support Certification

Prior to the first clinical Nursing major course(s), each student is required to present proof of certification in Basic Life Support for the Health Care Provider (American Heart Association). Thereafter, evidence of current recertification must be presented to the Dean’s office. Failure to provide evidence of certification will prevent participation in clinical experiences.

Health Standards

The Nursing Program Health Standards Form must be completed and submitted to the Dean’s Office prior to beginning clinical courses in the Nursing major and, thereafter, updated annually. Forms are available from the Dean’s Office. These Health Standards policies apply to all Nursing majors, both full-time and part-time.

Medical Insurance

The student is responsible for maintaining current medical insurance and for notifying the Dean’s office immediately of any changes in his/her status of medical insurance coverage. Failure to maintain medical insurance or health standards will prevent participation in laboratory and clinical experiences.

Clearances

Students are required to submit to substance abuse screening prior to clinical placement and random screening, during clinical experiences, or if there is reasonable suspicion of drug or alcohol abuse in classroom, laboratory, or clinical settings. Students testing positive will be referred to Counseling and Health Services for assessment and assistance with their substance abuse. Such referral, however, will not preclude the University from taking other disciplinary actions, up to and including removal from the clinical placement (which may result in failure to meet degree requirements) and/or expulsion from the program/University, depending upon the circumstances.

RN or LPN students with a positive substance abuse screening will be reported to the State Board of Nursing, as required by state law. Students are responsible for costs incurred for these screenings. For additional information, please contact the Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Students are also required to apply for, obtain, and present to the Dean’s office a current FBI Fingerprint Clearance, State Child Abuse and Elder Abuse Clearances and Criminal Background Clearances, as required by clinical agencies, prior to their participation in clinical courses. A criminal record and/or a history of child or elder abuse may prohibit clinical placement and, subsequently, result in failure to meet degree requirements. Clearances must be updated annually.

State Boards of Nursing may deny or revoke licensure when the applicant “has been convicted, has pleaded guilty, has entered a plea of nolo contendere, or has been found guilty by a judge or jury of a felony or crime of moral turpitude; or received probation without verdict, disposition in lieu of trial or an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition in the settlement of felony charge.” Similarly, “possession, use, acquisition, or distribution of a controlled substance or caution legend drug for other than an acceptable medical purpose” may be cause for denying application for professional licensure (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Professional Nursing Law, Act 69, Section 14).

Transportation

Each Nursing student is responsible for transportation to and from clinical practice sites throughout the entire Nursing Program. Transportation requires that each student has personal access to a car.

Clinical Arrival

The student is responsible to arrive at the unit assigned in the clinical agency at the prescribed time. If the student anticipates being late or absent he/she must notify the instructor and/or agency according to course policy and instructor direction.

Clinical/Laboratory Absences

All clinical and laboratory experiences are important to student learning and, therefore, are required. Excessive absence prevents consistent demonstration of learning and skill mastery in the clinical and/or laboratory areas.

All clinical and laboratory experiences are required. All clinical and laboratory absences will be made up. There will be no fee imposed for the make-up of the first excused clinical/laboratory absence. A Clinical/Laboratory Absence Contract must be completed by the student and faculty member for any make-up experiences. Charges to the student account for any unexcused absence or a second excused absence will be imposed at a rate set by the University.

For continuing students, this fee must be paid to the Business Office no later than the first day of the next semester. A clearance from the Business Office must be presented to the Dean’s Office in order to participate in the Nursing course(s). For seniors in their final semester, this fee must be paid to the Business Office in order to graduate.

The day and time of any clinical/laboratory make-up is at the discretion of the course coordinator and faculty member. To return to clinical, a statement from the student’s health care provider and/or University Health Services will be requested by the faculty member when the student absence is related to illness or injury.

A course grade of Incomplete (“I”) will be assigned until all required clinical and/or laboratory make-up experiences have been completed. Policies related to progression and graduation, appearing in this catalog, will apply. In a situation such as a labor dispute, agency or program problem, and/or an act of God/natural disaster whereby the clinical/laboratory session becomes unavailable for the student experience, the Nursing Program becomes responsible for arranging the clinical/laboratory experience which is needed. No fee is incurred by the student in such an instance. It is expected that the faculty-student group will arrive at an agreeable schedule for supplemental experiences. Further details regarding the Neumann University Nursing Student Attendance Policy are available on the Undergraduate Nursing Student Bulletin on the University Nursing Website.

Nursing Practice Settings

Assignment of students to clinical practice settings and scheduling of experiences are the purview of course faculty with approval of the State Board of Nursing, agreement of the clinical agency and availability of clinical faculty. Agencies used for clinical laboratory experiences are contracted on an annual basis and may include, but are not limited to:

Nursing Policies

Students are also responsible for University policies published in the Undergraduate Catalog, and specific policies and requirements related to the Nursing major published in the Undergraduate Nursing Student Bulletin, available on the University Nursing web site.

Exception to Policy Process

The Nursing Program adheres to the grievance procedure of the University; however, there are unique situations in the Nursing Program for which a student may request review and/or exception to a specific Nursing academic policy. Students are directed to meet with their Nursing academic advisor to discuss the procedure for submitting their request for a hearing by the Nursing Admissions and Progression Committee. The Committee meets regularly during the academic year; meetings are scheduled as needed during the summer.

The RN to Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing has been specifically developed for Registered Nurses who wish to obtain an advanced degree in Nursing. To be eligible for this option, the applicant must be a Registered Nurse who has earned either an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from a regionally accredited institution or a diploma in Nursing from a program that has been accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. If accepted into this program, the student must satisfactorily complete all requirements through either the full-time or part-time plan of study. Students have the option to complete several graduate-level nursing courses to fulfill their undergraduate degree requirements. By doing so, students reduce the total number of credit hours that must be taken to complete the Master’s degree in Nursing, and are provided with an “Express Route” for the Master of Science degree in Nursing at Neumann University. Students who wish to continue with the Master of Science option must follow the application process outlined in the Neumann University Graduate Catalog and, upon acceptance into the Master’s program, earn a minimum of 30 additional graduate credits.

This option recognizes the experience and education brought to the classroom and clinical settings by students who are licensed Registered Nurses (RNs). Based upon the Pennsylvania Articulation Agreement, RNs are awarded 30 credits toward the Nursing major. In addition, other credits may also be applied toward the Bachelor of Science degree in the following ways: (1) for completed course work for which a grade of “C” or higher has been earned at other regionally accredited colleges and/or universities; (2) for CLEP Examinations; and, (3) for Challenge Examinations which measure specific subject knowledge that has been learned through previous study and/or experience, such as human development, microbiology, and nutrition. (For additional information about transfer credit, please refer to the Transfer Credit Evaluation Criteria section of this catalog.) Experienced nurses are also encouraged to complete a portfolio which documents their expertise. This portfolio is evaluated by designated Nursing faculty who determine the applicability of that expertise to upper-level Nursing courses based upon established course objectives.

Following completion of the University Core and all Allied Course Requirements, the remaining Nursing courses that are required for the Bachelor of Science degree may be completed in two semesters of full-time study or four to five semesters of part-time study.